The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every type of senior living community, including assisted living. There are nearly 30,000 AL communities in the U.S., and every one of them is likely looking at change and innovation to survive and thrive post-pandemic.

Zoom reunions and video visits with kids and grandkids, concerts and serenades, photos and videos of seniors dressing in costumes and hamming it up with friends and staff, and outdoor parades of family, pets, and others.

David Simon, partner at ISL Ventures, LLC, Integral Senior Living’s sister development company, is optimistic about the future of senior living, partly because he has seen so many heroic, inspiring, creative efforts and innovations happening in communities every day.

This year’s National Investment Center (NIC) Fall Conference took us all into uncharted territory. Not only was the virtual format new, but the program featured many topics that weren’t even on our radar a year ago. Nonetheless, as always, the conference was enlightening, engaging, informative, and inspiring.

Kristin Kutac Ward, CEO of Solutions Advisors Group and Solvere Living, is one such leader—with more than 25 years of management experience in senior living. She tapped into consumers’ feelings, needs, and concerns early on…

Numerous students have shown that a sense of meaning or purpose can positively impact health, including warding off Alzheimer’s, physical disabilities, and cardiovascular problems. What can you do to promote purpose?

Balancing costs and quality has always been a priority, but now more than ever. One answer is panelization.

We know much more about COVID-19 than we did 4 months ago. There are still questions, but one thing is certain: Cleanliness is essential.

Everyone is watching their budget these days, but building an appealing, safe senior living community doesn’t have to break the bank.

The COVID pandemic has made it clear that wellness is no longer an option for senior living communities. Residents will expect it, even demand it.

We have seen a growing emphasis on wellness in senior living, and there are many exemplary efforts to meet the physical, mental, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual needs of resident.

As senior living communities seek to address pandemic concerns and prepare for the new normal post-COVID, renovations are on their minds.

Senior living communities have worked valiantly to ensure that their properties are safe and comfortable for residents and staff alike during the COVID pandemic. This presents both challenges and opportunities.

“We think of the passing of the ADA as an ‘Independence Day’ for people with disabilities,” says Marcela Abadi Rhoads, FAIA, RAS, owner of Abadi Accessibility. The ADA, the landmark legislation designed to increase the inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life, ushered in a new era of independence for millions of Americans.

“Now is the time for marketing and sales directors to re-evaluate their SWOT analysis in a COVID-19 environment and be strategic,” says Heather Potts, Owner of HP Consulting Solutions. “It is important to examine both internal and external factors that may help or hinder your ability to effectively market your community,” she adds.

Take a minute to think about what features you have or are adding designed to increase comfort and safety in the new normal and how you can highlight these on your website, in marketing materials, and on tours (including virtual tours).

More than ever, design and amenities make a difference as pandemic fears creep into decisions about senior housing…

What will seniors really want in a community moving forward? Consider these design features to attract prospects and boost move-ins post-pandemic…

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” – Henry David Thoreau

People and Pets often come to senior living as a package deal. How can you accommodate the pair?